My 6 Month Old Sucks His Thumb While Eating

Feeding solids at this age is just for practice, not nutrition so it should be an enjoyable experience. If he would rather suck his thumb than eat, let him and put the solids away. If he allows you to take out his thumb and give him another bite, than do it. Just don't get frustrated. If you force him to eat when he doesn't want to, it will turn into a fight and he will be more likely to have food issues later. My son wouldn't eat solids until almost 8 months and now, at 22 months, he eats everything.

My daughter did the same thing but she sucked her two middle fingers. He will stop doing it while he's eating; he's just really little and new stuff going into his mouth is a learning experience. We always thought she was trying to feel the food. Just pull his thumb out when you need to give him another spoonful. He's just learning how to eat and probably most of his nutrition is still coming from bottle or from nursing anyway so he's not starving. He will figure out soon enough that what you're putting in his mouth is food and that his thumb gets in the way, especially when his appetite increases. Have fun!

L.,
This is normal I think, both my kids would put their whole hand in their mouths between bites smearing food everywhere for a moment I thought they actually ate through their hands and not their mouths!They would just suck on it and I never understood why although neither of them sucked their thump so it may be a bit more annoying for you.
I suggest getting out the video camera and make some memories you can laugh about later I'm sure it is very funny (if not it will be) and send it to family and show friends when they come over and of course show him when he is ten he will be like why did you let me suck my thump and eat like that?
Eventually he will catch on that you keep taking his thump out at each bite and do it himself just be patient, that is the toughest job about being a parent to me...
MAMALYN

This is actually normal activity for his age. ALl three of mine did it. In fact my middle daughter sucked her toes a few times too while eating lol. He will eventually stop doing it on his own.